Aftermath
by Pinetasticapple
Summary: Based on a tumblr prompt by whumpster-dumpster. Ike decides to be left behind to fend off some corrupted fighters. Trigger warning for blood mention and injuries. Drabble.


I found this prompt by whumpster-dumpster on Tumblr (I can't leave you URLs in ff apparently)

_Character A tilting Character B's chin up to get a better look at their face and the evidence of the fight. A delicately thumbs away the streak of blood by B's mouth, saying nothing as they examine it. After a brief pause, B's heart skips a nervous beat as A looks them dead in the eyes. Their voice is quiet and tense, their anger barely restrained._

_"Who did this to you?"_

_Trigger warning for blood and injuries_

And I'm on a lucky streak so enjoy!

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**Aftermath**

Ike had had his fair share of gruesome fights. Not always was his party successful in avoiding bloodshed, and the few times it happened left him with a bitter taste in his mouth. The fewer casualties, the less unrepairable damage the better.

Needless to say, if he was able to protect the others from getting harm he would be the first jumping in to be a shield for them. Better him than then, he used to think, now moving out of instinct to protect the others.

It wasn't that he didn't care about himself –quite the contrary, he did if he didn't want to hear an hour-long argument against his welfare- but old habits die hard. That reasoning was what had left him in his current situation.

The scent of blood was prominent around him as he leaned against rock slab that once had been part of a tower or a wall, he wasn't going to figure it out in that moment. His whole body hurt, patches of blood-stained his tunic in numerous places, some wasn't even his, to begin with. There was a gash on his head that left his hair a sticky mess of grime, blood and sweat, trickling down his eyebrow and forcing him to keep his left eye shut to avoid the sting. He probably had a broken bone somewhere in his body, he was too exhausted to notice. His sword was next to him, but his arms felt too heavy to lift it, leaving Ragnell on the ground until he recovered some strength.

It had been a difficult fight but Ike had, in the last moment put himself between the other Smashers and the corrupted copies, allowing the others to escape through the portal. He thought it was only going to be one, and it had been, but then something or someone attacked him from behind, punching the back of his head hard enough to make him feel dizzy, leaving him on disadvantage against the new foe that had arrived.

Ike knew Ganondorf, he was from Link's world, and he remembered that. And it had been foul play what he did but Ganondorf didn't care. Ike could also tell this Ganondorf wasn't like the one they had faced before, as part of him seemed to be also merged with corruption. Needless to say, Ike fought against him, anything to avoid corruption to reach his friends again.

He didn't last long, or maybe Ganondorf just wanted to keep him worn out, but it was moments later when Ike was left alone, Ganondorf disappearing behind a different portal to leave the mercenary in the mess he was currently at.

Now he was finally alone and his body gave out to rest against the rubble, both eyes closed as he tried to control his breathing. He knew he had to catch up with the others. Marth was guiding them sure, but Ike knew the prince had been longer on this trial, fighting the corruption more than the others. He couldn't leave him alone, not when they were still missing his red-haired comrade. There were bad people behind all of this, not only divine beings pulling the strings –and Ike was getting so tired of that happening- and he had to warn them, but his body felt heavy, pained and tired.

The clattering of metal startled him enough to open one eye, but his body was on shutdown, refusing to move until it was taken care of. Ike hated it, hated being unable to move, let alone fight. But when he saw a familiar pair of boots approach him, the dread in himself turned to relief, then to slight panic.

Link stood in front of him, sword in one hand while the other approached his face, callous fingers gently touching Ike's chin to inspect him. Ike had known Link long enough to read his face, to see the amount of self-control Link was pushing on himself to keep calm in the situation. Link's hand felt warm, Ike thought, or maybe that was the result of blood loss. His breath hitched when Link brushed some blood away from the corner of Ike's mouth.

He wanted to ask why he was here, where were the others if they had encountered a villain or copies or just what had happened. But when Ike looked at Link's eyes, his heart thumped hard against his ribcage. The Hylian's stare was cold, calculating and rigid, which made Ike feel uneasy to be the one causing it. His body would have tremored if it wasn't so battered up, but his throat did close up when Link opened his mouth to speak –something he rarely ever did-, with a tone so low and threatening it made him feel afraid for who had left him in this injured mess.

"Who did this to you?"

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Listen.

We need more Ike being the whump one, my feeble heart is demanding it. Also, I was listening to Wolf 359 music while doing this

Thanks for reading!


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